AIBU in thinking that King Charles' passing will devastate Britain?

[monrymeadows73]

If you remember back when Queen Elizabeth II died, how upset most British people were and how it caused some social insecurity as many British people saw her as a sense of strength and a rock due to her continuity and longevity, but with her gone, they weren't sure how Britain would fare. Hence, the large crowds of mourners and a lot of upset.

King Charles III - though not as admired as Queen Elizabeth was - also has longevity and a sense of continuity in a different way: not as monarch since he's only been in the role for three years, but as a royal figure, i.e. he has been in the spotlight since the 1940s and conducting royal duties since the 1960s. When he dies, will Britain finally feel as though the older generation of royals - who for so long have provided reassurance and comfort to the British people - have gone?

Will this lead to a lot of soul-searching about where next Britain must go and perhaps cause social tensions due to the insecurity of identity? Who will the British look to to guide the nation from then on? Who will be their new rock?

The fact they’ve waited so long to disclose it is a disgrace. We are paying for their lifestyle and their healthcare. We deserve to know what they have.

By that token, we all pay for each other's healthcare by taxes, but don't consider our medical information public property. I think they're in a great position to encourage awareness but they don't owe anyone every sensitive detail of their lives. Maybe, when ready, Kate will talk more? I imagine it's an emotional topic.

I have mixed feelings on that and there are a lot of people, particularly royalists who will vehemently disagree with you. Privacy on personal health matters etc

I just think Charles and Kate could have joined together and put out more useful messages, there has been so much unhelpful speculation about their situations

We’re not all living lives of luxury funded by the tax payer, are we? We’re not taking months off “work” due to being ill.

It is certainly true that many of the issues us average people face if diagnosed with cancer would not have been factors for them at all. I'm not sure this entitles us to the details but I'm not sure why it's so hush hush.

We deserve to know what they have, how fast it was identified and treated, and how that compares to national averages for treatment of cancer.

That is a very fair question. I have always assumed they had private treatment, which would be faster by nature.

We deserve to know what, when and at how much cost. We are paying for them to live in extreme luxury. The king is the first billionaire royal. All off our hard work. We should be given even the most basic of information.

They will be handled by the very best cancer specialists probably in the world. It will bear no resemblance to anything that the general public go through. Palaces have their own medical centres within them and I imagine they ship in equipment for treatment when needed.

I don't think you're unreasonable. Thinking on it though, if I had cancer, seeing a real contrast in treatment options, speed and cost might be quite upsetting. As humans, they are not more deserving of good care than I am.

Which is absolutely disgusting.

Let’s say, for example, Kate had bowel cancer (of course we don’t know, it’s an example). We should know when and how it was diagnosed, how long it took from first symptoms to diagnosis and how long it took from diagnosis to surgery. Were any of her surgeries cancelled due to strikes, lack of theatre space or staff? How does that compare to a normal woman in her 40s experience of treatment? How does it compare to national averages for that type of cancer?

That is the bare minimum we should be having. They should then be made to explain why they are seemingly so deserving of such levels of healthcare when the ordinary person is not. In Kate’s case is marriage enough to justify it?

@reallyffspeople

Nothing like that will ever ever happen. They are shrouded in mystery, anything that can be picked up on is hidden, it's all smoke and mirrors

I’m aware it’s wishful thinking but I think as a population we should be looking at them a lot closer than we do.

They don't want to tell you this because the difference to how normal people are treated would draw so much unwanted attention to them.

And you know, they are just like us, so nothing to see here.

I'm totally anti monarchy but even I don't think we should know any of that.

Rich people pay for better healthcare, always will. Even then lots end up with NHS care it goes tits up

Yes the Knights of the Garter attire is straight out of Ruritania!

To think they are meant to be twenty or so of the most prestigious, noble, worthy people in the UK; and until very recently, Prince Andrew was among their number is quite mind boggling!

There should be a massive magnifying glass on them.

How the hell did Charles become a billionaire for a start. How much of that is his privately? Where did he get that private income? I thought he worked for the public.

As someone mentioned upthread, the figure for their tax avoidance is one that should be calculated and disclosed.

Rich people, not billionaires funded by the tax payer.

The principle that your medical information is private unless you want it made public applies to everyone.

I agree up to a point. But we are supposed to look up to them, they are powerful and can send important messages to the great british public, which is why I think Charles and Kate could have done more to highlight early screening. It's good that Charles is putting out a message tonight for Stand Up To Cancer, how much more powerful it would have been if Kate had joined him.
They don't have to go into personal details, although apparently Charles is going to disclose more about his cancer tonight.

Not at all. I didn’t feel like this either when the Queen died. The monarchy is way past its sell by date.

I believe much of it is through buying up property. Same with William. Some of it rented out, and all of it exempt from CGT or Corporation tax, so pure profit. After the revelations into the state of properties on the Duchy of Cornwall (somehow conveniently forgotten about yet people can still manage to remember an Oprah interview from 5 years ago) they don't spend much money maintaining them either. So they just sit on piles and piles of property, renting it out for commercial purposes but without any commercial liabilities. They also make money from owning the seabeds for oil exploration and windfarms after The Late Queen asked for them and they were just given to her! I reckon there would be a few more billionnaires out there if no one had to pay any tax on their commercial enterprises and they could just ask for stuff and it was given to them no questions asked!

But why?

This is what truly puzzles me.

A family wealthy beyond measure, who are in their position because they've been born into it, what is the difference between them and any other extremely wealthy family. The Duke of Westminster for instance. No one gave a hoot when his father died.

It's only because we're fed a media picture of these people that makes us think we know them. Their PR works hard to try to make them relatable and to make us feel they're relevant.

It's all about marketing. That's all.

You know every time I see the title of this thread on my feed it makes me chuckle! 😂

George III had to go cap in hand to the government in 1760 because they were broke (although a monarch's idea of broke I imagine will differ from ours...). That's when the civil list started, then recently that was changed to the sovereign grant.

If Charles is a billionaire we don't need to be giving the monarchy any money at all! For anything! Because they can pay for it themselves.

When I read about Athena's christening at St James's Palace, I thought how ridiculous it is for them to have a handful of personal palaces with adjoining chapels for them to choose from for this stuff.

If they want to make more money, they can slim down the number of palaces and residences they use, have the various households all in one palace in London, then turn the rest into full on tourist going concerns.